The inventive concepts disclosed herein relate generally to a cable actuating mechanism that actuates through a central pivot axis of a pivoting mechanism, and more particularly, to a mechanism including two articulating cable actuators that contact opposing ends of a floating pin passing through a center of a pivot, one actuator being affixed to a rotating component and the other actuator being affixed to a fixed component, thereby allowing a first cable segment of the rotating component to actuate cable translation of a second separate cable segment of the fixed component through the pivoting mechanism. The mechanism finds particular application, for example, in the pivot of an aircraft seat armrest, allowing a cable from the seat recline button to connect to a seat recline lock device without requiring that the cable be routed outside of the pivot area, thus preventing wear and failure of the cable over cycling of the pivot of the armrest.
Aircraft passenger seats are commonly equipped with pivoting armrests and seat recline functionality. Seat recline is typically controlled by a push button actuator mechanism located in the armrest for actuating a remote recline lock device to cause the seatback to be repositioned from an upright position to a reclining position. The push button actuator is typically coupled to one end of a cable such that pushing of the button is converted to a pulling force on the cable. The other end of the cable is typically connected to the recline lock device which unlocks the recline lock device in response to application of a pulling force from the cable.
The remote location of the push button actuator from the recline lock device, along with the requirement for certain armrests to pivot for stowing, necessitates routing the cable around the armrest pivot to avoid wear on the cable over repeated cycling of the armrest pivot, disadvantageously increasing the space needed in the pivot area to accommodate cable routing.
Therefore, what is needed is a mechanism that can be used in the pivot of an aircraft seat armrest that allows the cable from the seat recline button to connect to the seat recline lock device without requiring that the cable be routed outside of the pivot area. Such a mechanism would prevent wear and failure of the cable, as well as decrease the amount of space needed in the pivot area to accommodate cable routing thereby reducing armrest width.